Red Hook school board considers $7.49M in building upgrades

RED HOOK, N.Y. -- The school board is reviewing proposed capital projects totaling $7.49 million that are intended to help the district keep up with critical needs and avoid expensive repairs in the future.

District officials said during a board meeting on Wednesday that high-priority needs include a new heating system at Mill Road Elementary School, replacing the district's telephone system, adding wireless Internet service in all schools and upgrading the district's security system.

"We're addressing those items which are in high need," said Perry Sheldon, the district's director of facilities and operations.

At Mill Road Elementary, a $750,000 boiler is needed to replace a system installed when the school was built in 1968, Sheldon said.

Advertisement

"The boilers in this building are the original boilers. ... They have been here since Day 1," Sheldon said. "The design on these units are typically a 25- to 30-year life. We're now in excess of 40 years, so we've gotten our money's worth out of the equipment."

The system also would require new ventilation units in classrooms, air system upgrades, and digital system controls at the Mill Road school.

District officials said aid to the district would reduce the amount charged to future budgets to $3.88 million.

Regarding the phones, Sheldon said: "The districtwide telephone system is aging out. "In fact ... the manufacturer is suggesting that parts are no longer going to be available (later this year). If you can think about how we rely on that asset, we don't want to be in a position where we can't get the parts we need to keep our system operational."

Sheldon noted that the security camera system used by the district produces poor-quality video and is difficult to work with. He said the proposed upgrade would allow the district to roughly double the number of cameras in the district's three schools.

"The camera system was originally installed in about 2000 or 2001," Sheldon said. "Technology has changed significantly since then. When we try to look at something on the cameras ... you may see that there is a person out there, but that's all you get. New technology will give us the ability to perhaps pick up a license plate number or more clearly see what kind of vehicle it is or identify that person."

The proposed projects could be on the ballot in May, when district residents vote on the 2013-14 budget and elect school board members.